In the precharacterizing clause of patent claim 1, the invention refers to a prior art as is known from DE 2925162 C2. This describes a high-voltage switch with a moving switching piece between an inner and an outer stationary switching piece. A contact finger is inserted into the outer switching piece and has a contact loop fitted with a leafspring which presses against a contact ring on the moving switching piece of the electrical switch when said switch is in the closed state. A loop-type contact is arranged on the moving switching piece and presses against the inner switching piece when the electrical switch is in the closed state, and opens after the contact finger has opened when the electrical switch is opening. During the disconnection process, a comparatively high voltage builds up in a very short time between the rated electrical contacts, and this extremely rapidly drives the current to be disconnected, from the rated current path into a power path. The arc which is struck when the contact finger contact opens is blown by the loop of the magnetic field; it is extinguished quickly since, initially, there is still an alternative current path between the moving switching piece and the inner, stationary switching piece.
The construction of such a rated current contact system with a large number of contact fingers and associated holders and contact-pressure springs is relatively complex and expensive.